Case report: Mycobacterium neoaurum infection during ICI therapy in a hepatocellular carcinoma patient with psoriasis

Front Immunol. 2022 Aug 22:13:972302. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.972302. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

We report here a patient with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and psoriasis treated with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy who experienced tumor partial response and psoriatic exacerbation. Meanwhile, the patient contracted mycobacterium neoaurum during the treatment period, while it was an opportunistic infection and mainly happened in immunosuppressed patients. We discussed the possibility that this infection was an ICI-associated infection independent of immunosuppression due to dysregulated immunity, which was the result of the effects of immunotherapy and autoimmune disease (AID), and the characteristics and treatment of M. neoaurum, which was rarely reported in China. This case highlights the fact that some infections can be precipitated by ICIs in the absence of immunosuppressive treatment, especially the patients with AID.

Keywords: case report; hepatocellular carcinoma; immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI); mycobacterium neoaurum infection; psoriasis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / complications
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms* / complications
  • Liver Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Mycobacteriaceae
  • Mycobacterium Infections* / complications
  • Mycobacterium Infections* / diagnosis
  • Mycobacterium Infections* / drug therapy
  • Psoriasis* / complications
  • Psoriasis* / drug therapy

Supplementary concepts

  • Mycolicibacterium neoaurum